THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST NS 
Several others were wounded, but as they could dive faster than I 
could swim they escaped. Those I got were very good specimens, 
and quite compensated me for the risk of the alligators, or crocodiles 
as they ought to be called. 
The natives are very troublesome in this district, and are shot 
down without mercy by the selectors. Two were shot down not far 
from us, their only crime being that of stealing sweet potatoes. 
There is really some excuse for this sort of thing, for it is not 
unusual for a selector to leave his log house securely fastened in the 
morning, and when he returns at night to find everything movable 
carried off. Hven tubs and pack-saddles, things the natives have 
no earthly use for, are taken with the rest. 
After spending a week in this locality, we made a start back to 
Heunga Creek, and a terrible trip we had. Owing to the rain that 
had fallen durmg the week, and the very low nature of the country, 
our road was under water nearly all the way, and so soft and boggy, 
that we were unable to take a horse, so had to make up our things 
into swags, and carry them ourselves. During the day we waded 
through no less than seventy-four creeks, waterholes, and bogs. 
Amongst other places, we were very anxious to visit the North 
Barnard Islands, and secure some of the famous Victoria Rifle 
Birds, (Pklotis Victoria), before finally returning to Melbourne, so 
having made the acquaintance of Mr. Walsh the Police Magistrate 
and Harbour Master, who very kindly offered to place the pilot 
cutter and crew at our disposal for a week, we decided to avail our- 
selves of the opportunity. On the Ist September, therefore, we 
boarded the cutter and set sail, reaching the largest island of the 
North Group at five p.m., where we anchored for the night. We 
had the misfortune to have very bad weather, and were rocked 
to and fro in a very lively fashion. ven the sailors admitted they 
felt queer, and when morning broke, we found it quite impossible to 
land, owing to the surf. It was very disappointing, but we resolved 
to make the best of it by running into Hourilyan Harbour, and 
going over a sugar plantation which was in the vicinity, returning 
to the Barnards on our way back. We soon made this harbour, 
the smooth water of which was a great relief to us after the tossing 
about of the previous twenty-four hours. It is a splendid shelter 
for shipping, and owing to the great depth of the water, steamers 
of any size can enter easily. The depth where we anchored was 
seventy-two feet, so that will give you some idea. After breakfast 
we went on shore, and were just in time to catch the tram, which 
runs daily to the Hourilyan Sugar Co.’s plantation, a distance of 
seven miles, and as we were rather shaky after our voyage, we were 
glad to avail ourselves of this mode of transit. This tramway was 
constructed expressly for the use of the Sugar Co., and cost them 
no less than thirty thousand pounds, a sum that seems almost 
incredible, but then you must remember it was laid through a dense 
